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R. C. DAVIS 8L D. A. RIPLEY.

TBAMWAY SWITCH.

Patented-NomZZ, 1892.'

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i UNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. DAVIS AND DAVID A. RIPLEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO BEN C. GRAHAM, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAMWA'Y-VS'WITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,769, dated November 22, 1892.

Application filed January 2, 1892. Serial No. 416.893. (No model.)

T all whom it 'may concern,.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT C. DAVIS and DAVID A. RIPLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-SWitch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to railway-sWitch-op- 1o erating mechanism, and has particular rela` tion to the improvement of means for throwing the switch-tongues for street-cars.

The objects of our invention are to provide an improved switch-operating mechanism of this class by means ot which the motorman or other car-operator may impart such motion to the switch-tongue of a railway as to direct the car upon a branch track or continue the same. upon a mainV track; to so construct said 2o device as to render the operation thereof positive and safe and prevent the clogging by dirt or otherwise of the operating parts; to so construct said device as to prevent the injurious effects of water, and to otherwiser produceasimple and inexpensive form of switchoperating mechanism by means of which cars may Vbe readily directed upon the desired track. These objects we accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying draw- 3o ings, in which- Figure l represents a plan view of a portion of a railway track at the switch-point, showing our device in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line a:

of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the switch-box or stand with the cap-plate removed. Fig. 4. is a view of the under side of the top plate of said box or stand.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th rough- 4o out the several views.

a represents the main-track rails of a streetrailway, and a the branch-track rails, which lead therefrom in the usual manner.

a2 and a3 represent, respectively, the switchplates, which are of the usual triangular form, and through which the main-track rails and branch-track rails are connected in the usual manner. The switch-plate a3 is provided as is usual with an outer tread a4, which con- 5o nects with the treads of the main and branch track rails. The floor or bottom of this switchplate as is, however, provided with slotted openings a5, which communicate with a suitable pit or excavation a6, formed beneath said switch-plate.

o represents the usual switch-tongue, which is pivotally supported upon the switch-plate a3 and which is of the usual triangular form. As is common in railway-switches, this switchtongue is adapted, when the main track is 6o continuous through the switch, to form a tread for the car-wheels, and is also adapted, when its point is thrown inward, to close the main trackway and direct the car-wheels on the branch track. Between the track-rails at a point opposite the switch-tongue we cause to be firmly seated in the earth the base of our improved switch box or stand, (indicated at b.) This box or stand, as shown in the drawings, consists of a base-plate b2 7o and a top plate thereon (indicated at h3.) As shown in the drawings, this topplate is provided with a depressed central portion, (indicated at 194,) which forms a channel across the plate in lthe direction of the track length. 7 5 The under side of the plate b3 is provided with a central circular depression b5, from which leads outward in the direction of the switchtongues a channel or depression b6. This channel or neck h6 communicates with a short 8o tubular extension o7 of the plate b3, which projects in the direction of said channel. Within the central portion of the plate b3 is pivoted or journaled a pivot-bolt or short shaft c, the projecting ends of which are squared, as shown. The upper end of this bolt c prol jects through the center of a boss or slightlyelevated portion c', formed in the center of the channel b4, and carries on its upper squared end the central portion of a trigger c2. This 9o trigger c2 has projecting from its central portion two arms c3 c4, said arms forming in connection with the center of the 4trigger an obtuse angle. The ends of the raised portion c are connected with a cap-plate c5, which is of such form as to bridge the central portion of the trigger. The raised central portion of the box-plate b3 thus formed, being slightly separated from the raised end portion of said plate, results, as shown, in the formation of ways c6 c7 on opposite sides of said plate center.

d represents a conduit or tube one end of which is connectedby a suitable water-tight connection with the outer end of the tubular plate extension bi'. This tube or conduit d extends, as shown, to the base of the switchplate as.

Upon the squared lower end of the pivotbolt c is fixed one end of a short arm d', with the projecting portion of which latter is piv-` otally orjointedly connected a switch-tongueoperating rod d2, which,extending through the plate-channel ZJ, its extension 117, and tube d, passes beneath the switch-plate a3 and has its end portion connected with the lower end of a pin d-which extends upwardly and is rigidly connected with the switch-tongue b.

In the construction of our switch-operating," mechanism it will be seen that those operatings parts which might ordinarily be affected "by the action of water are so incased as to prevent the water reaching the same. In order to insure the accomplishment of this object, We preferably provide the plate b3 about the depression b5 and channel be with a groove in which nis seated a suitable packing-strip Z, which, as shown in Fig. 2 ot' the drawings, forms a water-tight connection between the upper and lower plates of the switch-box. It will also be seen that in forming the floor of the switch-plate a3 of open-work and providinga suitable pit c6 beneath the same the dirt, pebbles, or water which ordinarily collects upon the switch-plate and tends to interfere with the operation of the tongue will iind an outlet through said switch-plate opening and will drop into the pit beneath. In this manner the switch-plate will be prevented from becoming clogged or frozen and will not neces sitate the watching and cleaning which is required where the plate-floor is solid.

In operating our device the cars are each provided with a suitable bar or lever adapted to be dropped or projected into a position to enter the way c7 of the switch-box and in passing therethrough to come into contact with the projecting end of the trigger-arm c4, and thereby suiiciently rotate said trigger trigger to project within the boxway c6.

and its pivot-bolt as to result in the inward movement of the operating-rod d2 and consequent inward movement of the switch-tongue b, thus closing the main-track line and opening the way to the branch track. The contact of the said bar with the trigger-arm c4 will result in causing the remaining arnnv c3 of saIid n the case the next car following the one mentioned desires to continue on the main track it is evident that the operator may, by dropping the bar or lever into the way c6, cause the lever to contact with the arm c3 of the trigger, and through said contact throw the switch-tongue b back to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Having now t'ully described our invention,

Awhat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination, with the main a-nd branch track rails, switch-plates, and a pivoted tongue on one of said switch-plates, of a switch-box b', partially embedded in the earth at a point opposite said switch-tongue, said switch-box consisting of an upper and lower plate b3 b2, a channel b4 in the upper side of said plate b3, and a depression b5 and channel bleading from the under side of said plate, said plates being firmly clamped together, a bolt c, pivoted through the channel portion of said upper plate, a trigger c2, carried on the upper end of said bolt having diverging arms o3 c4, a cover-plate c5 above said arms, an arm d', carried on the lower end of the bolt within the depression b5, and an operating-rod d2 extending therefrom through the channel b, said operating-rod being connected with the switch-tongue b, substantially as and for the rrp )se specified.

ROBERT C. DAVIS.

his DAVID A. RIPLEY.

mark In presence of E. E. BRAGG, C. C. SHEPHERD. 

